Document Type

Class Paper

Publication Date

Spring 2020

Abstract

As a senior in college, and especially as a senior in college whose final semester at their undergraduate institution was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, you spend a great deal of your time reflecting. Particularly, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on a question that was first proposed to me before I even began my undergraduate studies: what is social justice? Having devoted myself to the study of social justice for the past four years, I can now say with confidence what I personally believe it to be. To me, social justice is best summarized by one of my dear friend's definition of perfection: a worthy yet unattainable goal. But by no means do I take this to mean that we should halt any and all efforts to not only understand social justice in its entirety but to pursue it in our everyday life. This conviction has been the cornerstone for my four years as a social justice studies major, both in the classroom and beyond. It is important that I connect this to my education and my broadening experiences, and to explain how they have independently and simultaneously contributed to my understanding of what it means to pursue social justice. This is what I hoped to accomplish through this capstone paper. First, I highlighted specific courses that I took throughout my undergraduate career that I found particularly relevant and beneficial. Then, I detailed two of my three broadening experiences. Following that section, which understandably was a substantial portion of this paper, explained how both my education and experiences have shaped my understanding of my purpose here in the world, and how that understanding has contributed to my current plans. I closed with a brief word for my fellow justice seekers and why I believe we all have a calling to pursue social justice.

Comments

This paper was presented as part of the Social Justice Practicum (SJUS 4901) taught by Dr. Myra Houser.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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